Why I don't use compact fluorescent lightbulbs
Seth Godin - marketing guru and regular blogger - asked bloggers to "create a post with their own riff on why CF bulbs are cheaper, better politically, harder to market or just plain cute."
In his post he speculates about why these energy efficient, (now) inexpensive, and long-lasting light bulbs haven't replaced traditional incandescent bulbs in many people's homes. He speculated: "They need to stop looking so weird, being so expensive and being so hard to open."
Actually, I don't have any of those issues with them. I'm a geek, so I'll overcome bad packaging and weird looks for something I find useful. I have used them in various places in my home, including my living room and the outside lights on either side of my door. My problems are with the product itself. It doesn't do some basic things I want a light bulb to do so it's not useful to me.
First, I find the light cast by fluorescents harsh and unappealing. I use natural spectrum bulbs made by GE that cast a whiter, more pleasing light that feels more like sunlight. I just find it much more palatable than traditional yellow incandescents or harsh white fluorescents. I tried color-corrected fluorescents as well but I found them too bluish and flickery.
Second, they warm up very slowly in cold weather, which means they aren't good for outdoor or utility spaces (which is where I was tempted to use them once I figured out I didn't like the light for every day use).
So I'd like to save the money, sure, but the product fails on much more basic product usefulness grounds for me.
Links:
Seth's blog:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/7363108
Natural spectrum bulbs:
http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/products/reveal_main.htm
Bruce McCarthy
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Reader Comments (7)
The slow warm-up time kills it for me. I intended to install some CF flood lights on our motion sensitive fixtures outside the house, but they're not very practical for this use because by the time they're all warmed up and fully bright, they're usually about to turn off.
On the other hand, I think they work well in those fixtures outside your front door that you may keep on all evening or even all night.
I also have them installed in my wood shop area in the basement where lights tend to get left on by accident, and in a couple lamps that have shades (where you can't see the bulbs and the light gets filtered by the shade).
Nice idea, but far from perfect.
They work quite well for lamps with lampshades, which softens things considerably, but I don't like them for direct lighting - halogen lights are much brighter.
I must say however, that one great thing about them is they last forever. I think I've only had to replace one out of about 20 in the last 9 months and that was induced by a child-related impact. That plus the feeling of being a little more eco-friendly is enough for me.
However, recently heard on a news spot that they have hazardous materials in them, like mercury and if they break, you need to handle the clean-up carefully.
For one thing, the segment said the room or area where a bulb broke should be well ventilated. ==8-0 They also mentioned that the remains should be cleaned up with a damp paper towel, I guess as opposed to just sweeping up and throwing in the trash.
I bought a new natural spectrum compact fluorescent the other day and a new indoor flood. Each claims to start immediately and not to flicker. I'll post an update after trying them out.
wondering when after millions of these bulbs begin to breakdown in garbagebags on the way to the dump that we will have a lawsuit on our hands by the garbage persons picking up the bags and throwing them into the trucks completely smashing the bulbs and releasing the mercury into the enviroment.
woohoo
Yes - this is why I will not buy any more of them. (My husband went on a kick and came home with a bunch.) I have one in my closet, and when I turn on my closet light, I usually want to find something right away, then turn it right back off again. We also have one as our porch light, and it's so dim it makes me feel like we almost don't have a porch light - I'm still fumbling for my keys in the dark.
"But they last like six years!" my husband said when I complained about them and asked him not to buy anymore (the price kills me, given that they don't work.) But, I told him, they don't do the one basic thing a light bulb is made to do: illuminate a space.